The Hottest Masculine Men From This Year’s Golden Globe Nominees (And Some Of The Most Beta)

Take one look at the Golden Globe award nominees for 2023, and you’ll see a mixed bag of strong and weak male characters. While weak-minded characters like Barbie’s Ken dominated the summer box office, we also had TV characters like Joel Miller from The Last of Us appeal to the deep desire in our hearts for men to be fatherly and protective. 

One thing’s for sure, though: This year’s nominees do show that not everybody thinks effeminate men are a good thing. Hunky guys are back in style, and the movies and shows this year illustrate some of the masculine character traits we most admire. Here are a few of my favorite, truly masculine men from the Golden Globe nominees this year.

Jacob and Spencer Dutton from 1923

If you loved Yellowstone, you’ve probably already seen its prequel show and fallen in love with a new generation of Dutton men. Jacob Dutton (Harrison Ford) is the family patriarch, who inspires a loyalty in his team of cowboys that is only matched by the mutual love and respect he shares with his wife, Cara (Helen Mirren). After disaster strikes the family, though, Jacob’s nephew Spencer (Brandon Sklenar) fights to get back home from Africa to help keep the family ranch together, with his adventurous bride Alex (Julia Schlaepfer) along for the ride. 1923 is nominated for two Golden Globe awards.

Joel Miller from The Last of Us

Who could forget the man who broke the internet this summer, Pedro Pascal? Playing a gruff and reluctantly protective father figure in The Last of Us, Joel Miller (Pascal) traverses a post-apocalyptic America with young Ellie (Bella Ramsey), who might be the cure to the global zombie pandemic. Why was The Last of Us so popular? If you ask me, it’s because we know deep down that children need fathers who protect them, and Joel is an excellent example of what that looks like. The Last of Us is nominated for three Golden Globe awards.

Arthur Zaturansky from Past Lives

When we meet Nora’s husband Arthur (John Magaro) in Past Lives, he may not seem like the stereotype of masculinity. But Arthur proves his manliness in one of the ways that counts most: the way he treats his wife. Arthur listens to her as she rediscovers her past love, Jung Hae Sung (Teo Yoo), and supports her all while expressing he’s a little jealous of her past connection with Hae Sung (and can we really blame him?). Arthur’s love for Nora is a reminder that real married love just gets stronger with time. Past Lives is nominated for five Golden Globe awards.

Bass Reeves from Lawmen: Bass Reeves

We love a Taylor Sheridan show, and Lawmen: Bass Reeves is no exception. This show tells the true story of Bass Reeves, the first black deputy marshal west of the Mississippi River. Bass (David Oyelowo) is continually guided by his sharp moral compass and does everything he can to fight for a good life for his beloved wife and children. Lawmen: Bass Reeves is nominated for one Golden Globe award.

“Carmy” Berzatto from The Bear

Season 2 of The Bear gave us more of visionary (and let’s face it, sexy) chef Carmy, and I’m not complaining. Carmy reluctantly took over his brother’s restaurant in Chicago in Season 1, giving up a prestigious career in NYC. But as the show has progressed, we’ve seen Carmy grow into a leader who brings out the best in his diverse group of chefs, and we’ve even seen him learning how to have more emotional intimacy in his relationships. The Bear is nominated for five Golden Globe awards.

Gregory Eddie from Abbott Elementary

Tyler James Williams has already won for his performance as romantic lead Gregory Eddie, but that doesn’t mean we love him any less. Gregory and Janine’s “will they, won’t they” storyline isn’t as frustrating as the trope usually can be because Gregory is pretty open about his intentions. He treats Janine with a respect and care that is in sharp contrast to her ex-boyfriend Tariq. Add to that how good Gregory is with kids, and you can’t help feeling that he’ll make a great dad. Abbott Elementary is nominated for two Golden Globes.

Ronald Gladden from Jury Duty

Ronald Gladden is the only member of a fake jury and a fake trial who doesn’t know it's all fake. When you first start Jury Duty, Ronald seems like an ordinary Joe who won’t amount to much. But when he’s selected as foreman of the jury, Ronald slowly becomes the leader of the group. In contrast to the selfish antics of James Marsden (playing a comedic version of himself), Ronald puts other people first, befriending the social outcast and insisting that everyone do their best to bring justice to the case. Ronald makes the list because he shows that the average guy really does want to do the right thing, regardless of what radical feminists may say about him. Jury Duty is nominated for two Golden Globe awards.

Not All Men in the Movies This Year Were Manly

Not every man in the movies this year set a good example of manliness, however. Many of the year’s most popular films were full of weak men who reinforce the stereotype that masculinity is toxic (just so we’re clear, it’s not). Here are a few of the worst examples of men in the movies this year:

Ken from Barbie

Anybody knows that I really liked Barbie, but it’s undeniable: Ken is the ultimate beta male. Ken revolves around Barbie, behaves like a child, and doesn’t have a solid sense of his own identity as a man. Ryan Gosling definitely stole the show with his performance, but we hope men don’t take their cues from his obsequious flattery of Barbie or his misguided attempt to create a false patriarchy.

Ernest Burkhart from Killers of the Flower Moon

Part of what makes this one so sad is that it's a true story. Instead of protecting his wife Molly (Lily Gladstone) from his scheming uncle (Robert DeNiro), Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) goes along with the schemes and even helps to slowly poison Molly in an attempt to keep her quiet. Ernest is the classic weak man, and hopefully the story of his disloyalty and crimes will remind society that we need strong men. 

Elvis Presley from Priscilla

Just because he’s dreamy doesn’t mean he’s a real man, which is the lesson heartstruck teenager Priscilla (Cailee Spaeny) learns over the course of her famous relationship with pop star Elvis Presley (Jacob Elordi). She thinks that he’s the love of her life, but as Elvis becomes increasingly temperamental and abusive, she begins to see the difference between her infatuation and the love she believed they had.

The Roy Brothers from Succession

It’s been a long road for the Roy clan, but this last season confirms what we’ve suspected about Kendall and Roman Roy all along – neither of them is strong enough to carry the weight of the empire their father built. Whether it’s Roman’s break-down at his father’s funeral which prevents him from delivering his eulogy or Kendall’s pleading break-down to his sister to vote for him in the season finale, neither brother knows how to command the room, let alone a corporation. Kendall and Roman’s undoing is a sad reminder that a real man’s identity is grounded in his integrity and grit, both of which these characters are severely lacking.

Danny Cho from Beef

Not every guy who works with his hands is truly manly, as we see when Danny loses his temper during a road rage incident over which he becomes obsessed. Danny is always looking for the easy way – to money, to revenge, and ultimately to happiness. Whether he’s manipulating his way into a church contract or sabotaging his neighbor’s marriage, Danny is the kind of manipulative, insecure man that we need real men to stand up against.

Closing Thoughts

Whether it’s by fighting to protect the family homestead in 1923 or being a supportive husband in Past Lives, this year’s Golden Globes nominees illustrate some of the traits we love most in our men. Though traditional masculinity is still under attack, we’re grateful to be seeing more positive portrayals of everything that real men have to offer.

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